Voting for the annual ESC 250 celebration closed on the 10th of December 2023, and now we have a nervous wait to find out the results! The event is hosted by songfestival.be, with the results revealed on the 31st December 2023 on EFR12 Radio to close out the year. Find out more about it here!
While we wait to find out the official results, members of the TES team will be sharing their votes for this year and explaining the reason for their picks. This time it’s Rory’s turn to reveal how he voted.
Much like my previous attempts at drawing up a top 10 list for the ESC 250, I have mostly kept my list roughly the same. I have, however, switched up some of the entries, due to some new arrivals thanks to the 2023 Contest. I did also strive to find a song in each decade I liked, but when Eurovision had its golden age in the 1990s, it’s somewhat tougher to find more old-school entries, but I tried my best!
1 point: “Quien maneja mi barca?” – Remedios Amaya (Spain, 1983)
Kicking off my list for this year, we have the original nu-flamenco icon that is Remedios Amaya and her track “Quien maneja mi barca?”. This is such a trendsetter that, with its complex musical structure and authentic vocal delivery – while not appreciated in 1983, has grown to be a true cult classic. It also helps to underscore my overall belief that Eurovision is about cultural promotion. Never be anything but yourself, Remedios!
2 points: “Like The Wind” – Vanessa Chinitor (Belgium, 1999)
Another deep cut, Belgium’s track “Like the Wind” in 1999 is another song that I was lucky enough to fall in love with whilst doing a deep dive for another project. Immediately, this song reminds me of Enya’s “Caribbean Blue” with a classic Eurovision twist. And while the ethnic-style ballad was on the way out of the Contest in the late 90s, Vanessa’s mid-tempo song strikes a chord in me in a way not many other tracks did that year.
3 points: “The Voice” – Eimear Quinn (Ireland, 1996)
As an Irishman, I do feel obliged to put at least one Irish song amongst my top 10. But with songs like “The Voice”, I don’t even need to be obliged, because the song is just so good. The Celtic-ness of this is palpable and, especially given the calls to send more songs like this to Eurovision now, RTÉ would be remiss to go another year without sending something like this. Timeless and serious, yet playful and enthralling, it’s easily one of the best winners of all time.
4 points: “Je suis un vrai garçon” – Nina Morato (France, 1994)
Angus already covered this song in his own rankings, but as I said earlier – Eurovision was all about experimenting in the 1990s. Breaking ground with the first swear word uttered in a song, this gorgeous song fuses pop and symphonic rock in a way only the French can replicate. This style is so underrepresented in the show nowadays, let’s bring it back!
5 points: “EAEA” – Blanca Paloma (Spain, 2023)
The only new addition to the list, I was stunned when I first heard Blanca’s song when it was released last December. The perfect fusion of flamenco, electronica and pop was literal music to my ears. Seeing her make it to the stage in Liverpool filled my heart with joy, but broke it when it received such pitiful points from the publics. Televote, you need to do better and value different genres – get on it now!
6 points: “Sama” – Justyna (Poland, 1995)
Another one from the 90s, “Sama” encapsulated the meaning of the phrase ‘ethnic ballad’. Justyna’s unique vocal delivery – especially with those enormous high notes – really bring the rather subdued instrumentation to life. Subsequent performances have shown Justyna can do it decades later, but it’s song like these that I believe Eurovision peaked with.
7 points: “O jardim” – Cláudia Pascoal (Portugal, 2018)
My winner of the 2018 Contest, I regularly fall in love over and over again with “O jardim”. Cláudia’s whispery vocals bring intimacy and sincerity to the track, honouring Isaura’s grandmother’s legacy with beauty and delicacy. An absolute travesty it came last, and quite possibly one of the best host entries of all time. Plus, does anyone feel the song has a similar musical structure to London Grammar’s “Hey Now“? Just me?
8 points: “saudade, saudade” – MARO (Portugal, 2022)
Wow, where to begin with this amazing song. MARO is by far and away the Eurovision artist I’ve kept up with most since her participation. And what a song to introduce us all too! Being able to make a word about an entire concept so easily understandable in less than 3 minutes is no mean feat, but MARO’s phenomenal songwriting brings the listener to the pain and sadness she felt, and the eventual hope for recovery from grief. People who don’t like this don’t feel emotions; I said what I said.
10 points: “Visionary Dream”- Sopho (Georgia, 2007)
Once again, busting out the fantastic Sopho with “Visionary Dream”. Every year I do my rankings for the ESC 250, I reflect on where the songs were when they competed and ponder whether the song has aged well or poorly. With each passing year, Georgia’s debut proved several things: that Georgia cemented itself as a nation unwilling to conform, Eurovision 2007 was a fantastic year, and that “Visionary Dream” has remained consistent and contemporary. The fact that nearly 17 years after it first was performed people continue to discover it and fall in love it shows it has longevity – immensely proud of Georgia for sending this.
Special mentions
Before I reveal my 12 points, I would like to give a special shout-out to a few entries that came so close to making my top ten. They are:
- “In corpore sano” – Konstrakta (Serbia, 2022) – I listened to this song 491 times in 2022, making it my most listened to song of the year. Need I say more?
- “Dansevise” – Grethe and Jorgen Ingmann (Denmark, 1963) – A true timeless ballad that appeals to all ages, a true piece of Eurovision history
- “Yamma, yamma” – Pave (Finland, 1992) – Who doesn’t love a bit of mindless fun?
And Rory’s 12 points go to…. “1944” – Jamala (Ukraine, 2016)
Another win for Jamala here as this song once again proves its meaning. Eurovision was forever changed when Jamala sang this song in Stockholm, and the waves from her win are still being felt to this day. As well as this, Jamala being put on Russia’s wanted list shows they are scared of her. And with phenomenal songwriting skills and a powerful story to tell, who wouldn’t be? “1944” will forever divide opinion on whether politics should be included, but remember, each passing year, the meaning of these songs become more relevant. If you cannot fathom how this could appeal, all hope is lost for you, my friend.
Listen to our collective ESC 250 playlist on Spotify
Enjoy our collective ESC 250 playlist on YouTube
Now that Rory has revealed his votes for ESC 250 this year, what do you think of their picks? Who received your 12 points this year? As always, please let us know what you think by commenting below. Be sure to follow ‘THAT Eurovision Site’ on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Threads and Bluesky for all of the latest Eurovision news.
News Source: That Eurovision Site
Photo Credit: EBU / Sarah Louise Bennett
Euan T